Trust: Misplaced Trust
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org
Today's Scripture
"We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely on God.” Romans 8:28 NLT
Thoughts for Today
Faith in Christ is the starting point for all the work God wants to do in us and through us. Every day we have opportunity to place our trust in people or things: spouses, children, employer, job, retirement fund, doctors and on and on.
Although it is right that we build trusting relationships with people, it is vital that we trust God above anyone or anything else. First, because he told us to. Second, because he alone is totally trustworthy. People are people ... we sometimes fail others. Sometimes we break trust by accident and sometimes intentionally. But God is not a person. God is God. He is perfect. He is love. We can always count on him.
We might place our trust for financial security in our job, or a retirement fund, or that raise we are expecting. God might work through some of these things to provide for us, but he and he alone is our source. Our trust must be in him.
Probably one of the easiest misplaced trust traps to fall into is trusting ourselves ... especially when things are going well and our business or ministry or project is proving to be successful. That sense of pride can creep in. Look at what I've done. But all good gifts, all true successes, come from God. He is our source. If we begin to trust in ourselves, we will surely fall.
Consider this ...
Do you have any areas of misplaced trust in your life? Ask God to reveal anywhere you are trusting in something or someone else … or yourself ... instead of him. Seek his forgiveness and help in relying only on him.
Prayer
Father, forgive me for sometimes placing my trust in people and things instead of relying only on you. Help me to remember that you are my hope and you are my source. Thank you that I can always trust in your love and provision. In Jesus' name ...
These thoughts were drawn from ... Insight Group: Discover the Path to Christian Character by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. With its emphasis on developing Christian character it is a powerful group for those who want to be sure to prevent life-controlling problems from developing in their lives, as well as for those who need to overcome a current problem.
- It enhances people's understanding of themselves and others.
- It helps people bond together in meaningful relationships.
- It helps prepare people for more meaningful relationships in subsequent small groups like home groups and Sunday school classes.
- It surfaces people for help who may otherwise never seek help.
- It helps break down the segregation of people in churches, turning "those people" and "our kind of people" into just "us."
- It helps prepare people to minister to others.
- It serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by ministering to people's felt needs and then pointing them to Christ.
Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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